clean indoor air
the 411 on secondhand smoke

what is clean indoor air?

Prior to the passage of SmokeFreeOhio, stand's clean indoor air efforts raised awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke by encouraging businesses, restaurants, bars and bowling alleys to go smoke-free. Now that Ohio has become a smoke-free state, stand continues to support these business as they transition into smoke-free establishments.

what is secondhand smoke?

A smoker only inhales 15 percent of cigarette smoke, while the other 85 percent, a huge majority, lingers in the air for others to involuntarily breathe in. Secondhand smoke is a mixture of that 85 percent given off by the burning end of tobacco products (sidestream smoke) and the mainstream smoke exhaled by smokers.

what's so bad about secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke is deadly. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, secondhand smoke contains thousands of chemical compounds, 43 of which are known to cause cancer. In 2006, the Surgeon General reported there is no safe exposure to secondhand smoke. Not to mention, many studies show secondhand smoke is a major factor in many serious illnesses and diseases that can lead to premature death:

in children:

• Asthma and other respiratory illnesses
• Low birth weight
• Hearing loss
• Ear infections
• Pneumonia
• Bronchitis
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

in adults:

• Lung cancer
• Asthma attacks
• Emphysema
• Heart disease
• Impotence
• Respiratory illnesses
• Stroke

how toxic is secondhand smoke?

Secondhand smoke is very toxic. Check this out, the air in a smoky restaurant or bar can be up to 50 times more toxic than rush hour automobile exhaust, according to a study in the September 2004 Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Think about what it was like for bar and restaurant workers who, before the passage of SmokeFreeOhio, were exposed to at least eight hours of secondhand smoke! That means they inhaled the equivalent of one to two packs of cigarettes each day. And, for customers sitting in a smoky bar for two hours, that was like smoking four cigarettes. Aren't you glad your friends and family will no longer be exposed to the toxic effects of secondhand smoke?

so, what does all of this mean?

It means that secondhand smoke is no good. It kills. The fact is that more than 49,000 non-smokers in the U.S. die each year from secondhand smoke-related diseases. For Ohio, that means between 1,800 and 3,200 adults, children and babies die every year from secondhand smoke-related diseases.

why is supporting clean indoor air important?

Supporting clean indoor air is important because it saves lives. And, because it is not fair to ask people to work, dine, relax or have fun in environments that expose them to this deadly toxin. Being smoke-free means that no one has to inhale the poisons found in secondhand smoke when they go out to eat with their friends or family or when they go to work. Major props go out to Ohio for becoming a smoke-free state. Now we all can breathe a little easier.